Commander Caesar's Roman Denarius

Commander Caesar's Roman Denarius

Commander Caesar's Roman Denarius

The Denarius became the lead currency of the Roman Empire for more than four centuries. It had been introduced in 211 B.C. This nominal was minted at first in large quantities; the required silver came from the looting of Syracuse in 210 B.C. The Denarius was then worth ten Aes. Its weight was about 4.5 g, which is equal to the seventy-second part of the Roman pound. Besides, another two nominals were introduced: the Quinarius nummus that corresponded to half a Denarius, and the Sestertius - a quarter of a Denarius.

The design of the Denarii was varied, because the masters of the mint could freely shape them. These 'family coins' depicted preferably scenes of Roman mythology and history, or the forefathers of the masters of the mint. Julius Caesar was the first living person who was depicted on a Roman coin, yet only in early February of the year he died, in 44 B.C., when the senate granted him the corresponding right. In the short time till his murder, Caesar had a large amount of 'his' coins minted. Afterwards, the images of living Roman politicians became abundant, and for the first time, also their wives were found on coins, now called consular coins (or family coins).

Caius Iulius Caesar (in English: Gaius Julius Caesar)

* 13 July 100 B.C. in Rome; † 15 March 44 B.C. in Rome) was a Roman statesman, military commander and author who was decisively involved in the destruction of the Roman Republic and its later conversion into an empire.

Caesar also conquered Gaul and instigated the end of the republic in the subsequent civil war, when he aimed at solitary rule. After Caesar had been appointed Dictator for all Life, he fell victim to assassination. Caesar's name became from now on a title of all the following emperors (Caesars) of the Roman Empire. In Roman Late Antiquity and in the Byzantine empire, the title of Caesar signified a co-ruler or a heir of the throne. The borrowed terms Kaiser and Czar transformed his name later into the titles of the rulers of the Holy Roman, Austrian, German, Bulgarian and Russian Empires.

This is a copy of a Roman coin of commander Gaius Julius Caesar.

• roman coin diameter: approx. 2 cm